At Joust last weekend I was going to buy a rabbit pelt to cut up and attach to Cole’s sporran (the little “pocket” that hangs in front of his kilt) to make it more authentic. I took Cole with me to the stand so that he could have a say in which pelt we’d purchase.

I found one that I liked the color and softness of and I held it up to Cole and had him touch it. He petted it very hesitantly and quickly pulled his hand away. I asked him if he liked it and, after a short moment of contemplation, he said “It’s dead.”

I couldn’t say anything for a moment. I was really rather shocked. Finally I said “You’re right- it is dead. How do you know that?” But he didn’t answer.

How did he know that? How does he know about death at all? They don’t really cover that topic on Blue’s Clues, y’know? It’s pretty strange for a kid that young to know about death at all, let alone identify a pelt, which I don’t think he’d ever seen before, as being dead. I don’t really know what to think about it.

We didn’t buy the pelt. I just couldn’t do it after that. Fuck authenticity. The plague would be authentic too, and I’m certainly not going to be bringing that home if I can help it.